John Roberts (footballer, born 1944)


John Thomas Roberts is an Australian former footballer.

Playing career

Club career

Roberts played youth football for Cessnock before joining APIA Leichhardt in the New South Wales State League. He played at APIA in 1964 and 1965. In 1966, he travelled to England to trial with Football League Division One team Chelsea. After the unsuccessful trial he was signed by Blackburn Rovers in April 1966. Roberts played three times for Blackburn in the 1965–66 season, returning then to APIA where he played the remainder of the 1966 season. He was sent out on loan in August 1967 to Chesterfield in the Football League Fourth Division, where he played 46 matches during the 1967–1968 season. In 1968, he was signed by Bradford City; there he made 44 appearances between 1968 and 1970, and played in the team that won promotion from the Fourth Division to the Third Division in 1969. In early 1971 he transferred to Southend United, and at the end of the 1971–1972 season moved to Northampton Town, staying there for one season and playing 13 times.

International career

Roberts played one full international match for Australia in 1969 against North Korea in Phnom Penh. He played three matches for an Australian XI in 1965 against Chelsea and IFK Stockholm.